The field of the invention relates to the domain of radiology, and more particularly to a system and method to process a radiological image of a body portion in regard to an area to treat or to protect in a circulation network.
Interventional radiology denotes techniques in which a radiologist displays images of a body portion provided by an imagery apparatus to guide or control an operation on this body portion. These techniques are useful for performing operations applied to points of the natural flow or circulation pathways in the body (for example the blood, bile and lymph networks, the airways) in order to treat a target zone of tissue.
For example, the interventional radiologist can introduce a catheter into a vein or artery, or a needle, until reaching a target zone, using an image output by the imagery apparatus. Interventional radiology can be used to treat the target zone of tissue by injecting a substance or by closing off a vessel at a given point in the vascular flow network irrigating the target zone of tissue. In one example, the radiologist can inject ethanol or other drugs to treat a target zone that can include a cancerous tumor. For chemical embolisation, the radiologist can inject an embolic agent and also a toxic substance in a vessel that irrigates the target zone for treatment. The effects of the embolic agent and the toxic substance can combine such that the substance can be concentrated as it is routed to the target zone, and also that blood supply to this zone can be cut off. This described type of treatment enhances focus on the target zone, thus increasing the treatment efficiency while minimizing secondary effects.
To identify and select the target zone for treatment, the radiologist can use of the image output by the imagery apparatus. Interventional radiologists desire to identity and select a target zone that will give an enhanced result in regard to treatment of the target zone, as well as to reduce the impact of the treatment on the surrounding tissues outside the target zone. For example, injecting chemotherapy into the gallbladder when the target zone to be treated is a nearby liver tumor can result in severe abdominal pain.